Slot machine



Feb. 22, 1927.

J. E. HUTCHINS SLOT MACHAINE Filed sept. 24. v1924. .4 sham-sheet 1gnomlloz I l A l 1,618,200 Feb. 22 1927 l.1. E. HuTcHlNS 1,618,200 Feb22" 1927' J. E. HuTcHlNs SLOT MACHINE` 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 24,1924 l 3W f Feb. 22 1927.

J. E, HUTcHlNs SLOT MACHINE Filed sept. 24,' 1924 4 sheets-sheet 4Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

JAMES E. HU'ICI-IINS, OF BUFORD, GEORGIA.

SLOT MACHINE.

Application led September 24, 1924. Serial No. 739,696.

The device -forming the subject matter of this applicationl is acoin-controlled vending machine including a delivery mechanism and acoin controlled mechanism. And the object of the invention is to improvethe delivery mechanism.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenchance the utility of devices of that type to which the inventionappertains. V

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combr nation andarrangement of parts and in the l5 details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope ofwhat is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionshown, can be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention.V

In the drawings Y Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a section onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken throughthe body portion of the cabinet;. Figure 4is a sectional view, thecutting plane in Figure 4 being at right angles to the cutting plane inFigure 3; Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4, partsbeing omitted; Figure 6l is a vertical sectional view showing the rackand at-tendent parts, portions being broken` away; Figure 7 is ahorizontal section taken through that part of the machine which appearsin Figure 6; Figure 8 is a diagram showing the operating lever in theposition whichl it will assume with respectto the star wheel, Figure 9is a diagram showing another of the levers and the shaft with'which itcooperates, and Figure 10 is a diagram dis'-r closing the delivery rack,in part, Figures 8, 9 and 10 being supplemental to eachother, andshowing certain parts of the machine as they will appear at one step inthe operation; Figures 11, 12 and 13 are diagrams 'showing,respectively, the parts delineated in Figures 8, 9 and 10, the partshaving been shifted to a position different from that shown in Figures8, 9 and 10, Figures 11, 12 and 13 supplementing each other; FiguresV 14and 15 are diagrams illustrating the parts depicted in Figures 11 and12, those parts having been shifted to another position from 55 thatshown in Figures 11 and 12, Figures 14 and 15 supplementing each other;Figure 16 isa perspective showing a part of the coin controlledmechanism; Figure 17 is a perspectiveshowing the latch; Figure 18 vis asectional view of the coin chuteand attendant parts; Figure 19 is across section Y taken through the block which forms part of the coincntrolled mechanism; Figure 20 is a longitudinal section taken throughthat pgrt of the device which appears inFigure In carrying out theinvention, there is provided a cabinet, which is denoted by the numeral1, the cabinet comprisingy a back 2, a bottom 3, an end 4, an end 5, atop 6, a partition 7 extended between the ends 4 and 5 and disposedparallelfto the back 2, and a table 8 extended between the ends 4 and 5,and forwardly from the back 2, the lower edge of the partition 7 beingspacedk from 75 the upper surface of the table 8. A lower front piece 9extends upwardly from the bottom 3 and cooperates with the ends 4 4and 5of the cabinet. A platel() extends between the ends 4 andr 5 andcooperates with 80. the bottom 3, there being a compartment 11 between'the plate 1() andthe front'pi'eceV 9. The merchandise to be dispensedmay be permitted to drop into the compartment 11, although,as'herein'after explained, a rack'is 85 provided for receiving themechandise before it drops into the compartment, it being optionalto'use vor omit the rack. A cross bar 12 extends between the ends 4 and5 of the cabinet and is located slightly above' 90 and in front of thetable 8. The cabinet 1 includes a box-like extension 16 projecting fromthe end wall 4 of the cabinet. A part-ition 17 extends betweentheendfwall 4 and the outer wall of the extension 16 and forms 95 aAmoney receptacle 18, access to which is had by way of a hinged andlocked door 19. Strips 2O are vertically mounted on the ends 4 and 5 ofthe cabinet 1 and cooperate with the partition 7 to' form guides 21wherein the 100 mercandise to be dispensed is carried, the' merchandise,in the present instance, being in the form of lead pencils, although themachine may be used for dispensing merchandise of'any kind. The pencils22 may be 105 placed in the guides 21 readily, because the cabinet 1 hasa hinged front door 23. y

v A. bracket 24 (Figures 3 and 5) extends rearwardly from the partition7. An angular or bell crank lever 26 is fulcrumed ony 110 the bracket 24and includes a` short hori- Zontal arm 27 and a long depending arm 28,the arm 28 of the lever being mounted to move in the guide 29 (Figures 3and 4) on the partition 7.

An ejector 30, in the form of a plate, is mounted to slide on the table8 beneath the lower edge of the partition 7, and beneath guides 31secured to the ends 4 and 5 of the Cabinet 1, the forward ends oftheguides 31 extending beneath a combined cleat and stop 32 (Figures 3and 4) mounted on the partition 7 The table 8 has an opening 33 throughwhich extend forks 35 (Figure 4) on the lower end 38 of the lever 26,the ej ector having a notch 34 in its rear edge, through which the forkspass. A finger 36 is disposed parallel tothe ejector 30, and is carriedby a bracket 37 mounted on the ejector 30, the bracket being adapted tocooperate (Figure 3) with the stop or cleat 32 when the ejector 30 movesforwardly into the position shown in Figure 3. There lis a longitudinalslot 38 in the finger 36,

receiving a pivot element 39 mounted in the forks 35 of the arm 28 ofthe lever 26.

A rod or support 40 is mounted in the ends 4 and 5 of the cabinet l, andon the rod 40, levers 41 are fulcrumed intermediate their ends, thelevers having diverging upwardly extended arms 42 prolonged forwardlywith respect to the plate 10 and the table 8, as shown in Figure 3.rllhe levers i constitute a rack on which the ejected lead pencil orother mechandise is received.

YThere are slots 43 in the rear ends of the levers 41, the slotsreceiving a pivot element 44 carried by the forks 35 of the arm 28 ofthe leverA 26. Retractilesprings 45vare connected (Figure 5)"to theshort horizontal arm 27 of the lever 26, at their upperends,

cated in Figure 2. Saving at its ends the shaft 46 is of rectangularcross section. The

shaft 46 may be mounted to rotate in bearings 47 on the ends 4 and 5 ofthe cabinet 1. V

That end of the shaft 46 which projects into the extension 16 carries astar wheel 49 provided with projections, certain of the projectionsbeing marked by the numerals Y 50 and 51, in order Yto facilitateV theexplanation of the operation of this part of the machine. VA lever 52(Figure 2) is Vfulcrunied intermediate its ends at 53 on a bracketv 54carried by the end wall 4 ofthe cabinetV and located in the extension16. The lever 521s adapted to swing verticallyY in a slot 55 (Figure 1)formeel in a plate 56 mounted on the front portionV of the extension 16.The lever 52 slides in contact with a wear plate 57 (Figure 2) mountedon the end wall 4. VThe lower end of a retractile spring 58 is connectedto the lever 52, the upper end of the spring being attached to the end 4of the cabinet. Noting particularly Figures 8, 1l and 14, it will beVobserved, in conjunction with Figure 2, that the lever 52 is provided atvits inner end with a head 59 having a concaved cam edge 60 below whichis located a notch 61 forming a shoulder 62, vthere being a recess 63 inthe head 59, the recess being located below the shoulder 62. TheU-shaped support 64 (Figure 7) is carried by the lever 52 and projectsinto the eXtension 16. The support 64 receives an arcuate rack 65attached to the end 4 of the cabinet, the rack having teeth 66, andbeing provided with an enlarged upper recess 67 (Figure 6) and with anenlarged lower recess 68. A shaft 69 is mounted on the support v64, anda pawl 70 is mounted to swing` on the shaft 69, the pawl being adaptedto cooperate with the teeth 66 of the rack 65. ln order to hold the pawl70 at right angles to the rack 65, under conditions which will be'pointed out hereinafter, any suitable spring means may be provided. Ifdesired, the shaft 69, as shown in Figure'7, may be surrounded torsionsprings 71, the outer ends of the lsprings being connected to thesupport 64, and the inner ends of the springs being connected to thepawl 70.

At this point, the description of the struc-k ture will be suspended, inorder to explain the operation of the delivery mechanism, and when thathas been done, the coin-controlled features will be taken up.

in practical operation, the ejector 30 is advanced, as shown in Figure3, and the lowermost piece of merchandise 22 rests on the ejector,behind the Ycross bar 12. rlheV outer end of the lever 52 is swungdownwardly, the spring L58 being put under tension. Noting Figure 6, itwill be observed thatrwhen the Lever `52 isswung downwardly, the pawl 7O can click over the teeth. 66 of the rack 65, Ultimately, the inner endof the pawl 70 arrives in the lower recess 68,and, then, the springs 71swing the pawl Z0 until it stands at right angles to the rack 65. Thelever 52 then can be moved upwardly until therpawl arrives in the upperrecess 67, whereupon the springs 7l dispose the pawl 7 O at right anglesto the rack bar 65, and, then, the lever can be swung downwardly. Vllhenthe pawl 7 O is inthe position shown in Figure 6, the lever 52 cannot bemoved upwardly, and after the lever 52 has been moved downwardly farenough so that the pawl 7 O is in the recess 68, and then has been movedk upward-dy, along with the'lever 52, the lever cannot be nie-v ddownwardly, the length of the pawl j inentr 11 70 being greater than-thedistance between the center of suspension of the pawl and the base ofthe teeth 66 Vin the rackbar.

vDismissingV the pawl 70 withthe foregoing explanation, let it beassumed that the outer end of the leveri52' is moved downwardly, thehead 59 of the lever movin@ upwardly (note Figure 8). First, theshoulder 62 on the head 59 of the lever engages a tooth 50 and rotatesthe star wheel 4-8 and the shaft 46 .until the arm 27 of the lever ingrearwardly to the end of the slot 88 in the linger 86 which is attachedat 87 to the ejector 80. iVhen the arm 28 .of the lever 26 swings fromthe position shown in Figure 9 to the position shown in Figure 12, thepivot element de in the forks 35 of the arm 28 of the lever 26 moves inthe slot el?) of the levers 41 and tilts the levers until the Varms 42are raised from the position shown y in Figure 8 to receive thelow'ermost piece of merchandise 22wlien the same'is moved forwardly bythe ejector 30.

Vhen the machine goes out ofthe shop, it issupplied with thelevers Ll1,and also with an upperpiece 14 which extends downwardly and forwardlyfrom the bar 12, there be- Ving.an-opening in front of the part- 1,4-,

so that access may be had, ,to the compartt is then optional with theuser either to take olf the levers Ll1, let the plate 1+i remain, andhave the ejectori80 push the pencil off into the compartment 1 1; or totake voff the plate 14, let the levers' t1 remain. and have the ejectorpush the pencil roff into the armee-2 of the levers ill, as

f above explained. Y

The description of the operation now supposes the ejector 8O to havebeen retracted,

Y readyto eject the lowermost piece of merchandise, the star wheel 48having been rotated by the engagement between the shoulder 62 of thelever 52 and the tooth 50, the tooth 51 of the star wheel being disposedin therecess 68 of the head of the lever 521 as shown in Figure 11. Theouter end of the lever 52 is swung upwardly, and the head 59 movesdownwardly, from the position shown in Figure 11, the end of the toothor projection on the star wheel 48 traversing the cam edge 60 of thehead 59 4 of the lever 52, as shown in Figure 14, clockwise vrotationbeing imparted. to the star wheel 48 and the shaft 46, the linger 72 onthe Yshaft 46' being withdrawn `from engage- Vnienty with the arm 87 ofthe lever 26, .as

shown in Figure 15. The' springs 45 of Figure 4 cause the end 27 of thelever 26 to move downwardly along 'the uppermost linger 72 in Figure15,until the part 27 rests on the shaft 46, as shown in Figure 9, asudden rotation being imparted tothe shaft d6, and theY springs 45reacting on' the lever 2G to swing the arm 28 forwardly, the ejector 30-being 'carried forwardly, the lowermost piece of merchandise 22 beingreceived in the arms 4t2V of the rack, and the arms 42 being loweredinto the-positionA shown in Figure 3. The tooth 51, during the operationabove mentioned, willv have moved from the position shown in Figure 14,into the position occupied by the tooth 50 in Figure 8, and the machineis ready 'for another operation. f f Y Having thus described theconstruction and the operation of the delivery mechanism, theconstruction of the coin control will next be considered. j YThe upperend of a coin expelling plunger 73 is connected at 74tto lthe vlever 52,the

plunger having an offset keeper 7 5,y the plunger being mounted to slidein a longitudinalrslot 76 formed in a lolockv 77 secured at 78 to theend 4t of the cabinet 1. Adjacent to its lower end, the block 77 has aninclined shoulder 79 adapted to discharge the expelled coin into thecoin receptacle 18. Above the shoulder 79, the block has a notch 80. Theblock 77 has anotch 81,there being 1 a fixed coin stop 82 on the block,between the notches and 81. A` coin chute 83l extends through the wallof the extension' 16, and discharges into the notch 81, rlflieblock 77hasv a recess 84 disposed opposite to the fixed coin stop'82`. Thenumeral`85 designates a latch, the lower end of which is pivoted at 86on the block 77. `The inner edge of the `latch-85 provided witha'seat 87adapted to receive the keeper 75 onthe plunger 73. Ontheinner surface ofthe latch 85 there is, arcoin stop 88 adapted to cooperate withtherein-stop 82, the coin stop 88 being movable inthe recess 84 of theblock77. One end of a. retractile spring 89 is connected to the latch85, at a point near to the upper end 'of the latch, the' `other vend'ofthe spring being anchored on thecoin'chute 88 or elsewhere. The spring89 tendsfto swing' the y upper end of the latoh85 inwardly, until, as

shown in Figure 18, 'the inneredge of the Y latch rests against thekeeper `75 on the plunger 7 3. A retaining strip 90 for the coin extendslongitudinally of the block 77 and is secured to the block as shown at91 and at 92. Thesecuring element 92,*and an additional securingelement93 retain a trans- 'erse guide 911 onv the block 77, kthe plungerY 73 being mounted to reciprocate behind the guide 9e, as clearlyindicated in Figure 20.

i Suppose that no coin has been `introduced into the chute 83; It willnow be obvious that if an attempt is made to swing the lever 52downwardly, the plunger 78 will be 4carried downwardly a short distance,the keeper Ynotch 81 in the bloeitl 77, behind the retaining strip 90and behind the latch 85, the coin 95 resting in contact with the fixedcoin stop 82 on the block 77, and in contact with the coin stop 88 onthe latch 85, as indicated in Figure 18. The upperend of the latch 85now is prevented by the coin 95 from swinging to the left in Figure 18,under the action of the spring 89, and the plunger 78 may be moveddownwardly without causing the keeper '75 on the plunger to engage theseat 87 Vof the latch 85. ln view of the foregoing, it will be obviousthat the lever'52 mav be swuno' downwardl `to o l D 1 erate the machine,1f a com nas been Yueposlted in the com chute 83. The keeper 75ultimately engages the coin 95 and pushes vrthe coin downwardly, free ofthe stops 82 and 88, the coin striking l the inclined shoulder 7,9 androlling along the said shoulder into theV coinwreceptacle 18.

Having thus described the invention, what isclaiined is:

1.V A delivery device for merchandise, comprising aA slidablemerchandise ejector, a lever fulcrumed `intermediate its ends, means Yfor connecting one end of the lever to the ejector, al shaft supportedfor rotation and havinO aV ro ection co-o eratinO' with the other end ofthe lever to retract the ejector, spring means for advancing theejector, and means for rotating the shaft intermittently, first tooperate the lever by way of the proj ection, and then to .free theprojection from the leverand to render the ejector responsive to thespring means. Y

2. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 1,and further characterized by Vthe lfact that the means for rotating theshaft embodies a starwheel on the shaft, and a lever fulcrumedintermediate vits ends and cooperating with the star wheel.

3. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 1,and further characterized'by the fact that the -means for rotating theshaft embodies a star wheel on the shaft, a lever fulcrumed intermediateits end and cooperating with the star wheel, a rack, an `automaticallyreversible pawl on the lever andcooperating with raclr to preventretrogradc movement of .the lever when the lever is moved in oppositedirections, and means for reversing the pawl whenthe lever arrivesatopposite ends of its stroke.

4l. A delivery device for merchandise, com prising a slidablelmerchandise ejector, a tiltable raclr for receiving the ejected`merchandise, and means-cooperating 'with the ejector and the rack toraise the rack for the reception of the merchandise and to retract theejector, and to advance Vthe ejector and lower the rack. y

5. A delivery device for merchandise, comprising a slidableinercliand'se ejector, a rack for receiving the ejected merchandise andpivotally mounted intermediate its ends, a lever and a fulcrum therefor,means for connecting thelever with the ejector, and a slidableconnection between the lever andl one end of the rack, the leverconstituting means for retracting the ejector and raising the other endof the rack, and for advancing the ejector and lowering said other endof the rack. l

6. A delivery device for merchandise, comprising a slidable merchandiseejector, a rack for receiving` the ejected merchandise and mounted fortilting movement, a lever andV a fulcrum therefor, and pivot elementscarried by the lever, the ejector and the rack having slots for thereception of the pivot elements, the slot of the rack per; mitting 4thelever to raise the rack before the retraction of the ejector begins, andbeing shorter than the slot of the rack to permit the lever to Aadvancethe ejector before the rack has been lowered to an appreciable extent. YY

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as myv own, lhave hereto affixedmy signature.

Janes ancrer-nus.

